Wind turbines are increasing in prominence and popularity as a source of clean energy production. Wind currents cause blades of a wind turbine to rotate, converting the kinetic energy of the rotating blades into usable electrical or mechanical energy.
Wind turbines are often erected in areas having few obstacles obstructing wind currents to maximize a potential energy output. Such areas are sometimes remote and may be accessed only by traversing poorly maintained roads. This can present some difficulty in accessing the wind turbine for maintenance and other operations. Various types of maintenance may be performed on wind turbines. Maintenance of outer components of the wind turbines, such as the wind turbine blades or the surface of the wind turbine tower, becomes increasingly difficult as a size of wind turbines increases in attempts to generate more energy.
Repairs and cleaning are some of the more common maintenance issues facing owners of wind turbines. Maintenance of wind turbines often involves periodic lifting or lowering of wind turbine parts, equipment, maintenance personnel, etc. Some specific examples of maintenance operations involving lifting or lowering of objects include inspection of the wind turbine blades, cleaning the wind turbine blades and tower, providing replacement of parts, etc.
Prior maintenance systems have generally utilized freestanding cranes or other forms of lifts to raise and/or lower objects in connection with maintenance or repair of outer components of wind turbines. However, due to the difficulty in accessing wind turbines because of location, transportation of the cranes or lifts to the wind turbines can be difficult, costly, and time consuming.
Wind turbine cleaning is generally performed on a periodic, regular basis. Cleaning wind turbine blades and tower supports can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as maintaining an efficiency of the wind turbine, extending a useful life of the blades and towers, maintaining a clean and well-maintained appearance, etc. Wind turbines are sometimes cleaned as frequently as two or more times per year.
Over relatively short periods of use (such as a matter of weeks or months), wind turbines can become defiled by dust, coatings of salt, dead insects, bird excrement and other surface deposits. Wind turbine defilement can reduce the efficiency, worsen the appearance, and/or lead to corrosive and other detrimental effects on the wind turbine surfaces. A sealant can be applied to wind turbine surfaces for additional protection. However, application of the sealant may still involve difficulties and hazards similar to those encountered in cleaning or performing other maintenance. Further, the sealant may also need to be periodically re-applied and the use of a sealant generally does not prevent or reduce defilement of wind turbine surfaces.
Because of various factors such as the size and location of wind turbines, cleaning and other maintenance can be a difficult and time-consuming process. Further, wind turbine maintenance can be hazardous for maintenance workers. Accordingly, there is a need for wind turbine cleaning and maintenance which is simpler, faster, and which allows for a safer and more stable condition for maintenance workers.